The Unexpected Everything

February 8, 2016
Andie Walker’s plan to spend the summer at a young scholars’ program at Johns Hopkins is upended when her father, a U.S. congressman, becomes engulfed in scandal. Suddenly Dad is always around, trying to act like he’s involved in her life, and Andie’s only job option is dog-walking. On the plus side, staying in Connecticut means spending time with her three best friends. Then she meets and falls for Clark, a cute and slightly geeky boy who hires her to walk his dog, breaking her habit of short-term flings she likes to keep “light, fun, not too serious, and nothing more than kissing.” Matson (Since You’ve Been Gone) makes good use of elements common to many of her novels: new romance, friendship struggles, an easy-to-like protagonist with relatable insecurities, and memorably quirky details (an unfinished painting by Andie’s dead mother, a scavenger hunt, movie marathons with her father). Though Andie’s friend and boyfriend complications feel forced and are resolved without much ado, Matson’s fans will enjoy sinking into this immersive summer read. Ages 12–up. Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management.

norsla1617 - Can you imagine having your entire summer laid out and perfect, but then it all gets ruined? Well in The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson that’s what happens to the protagonist Alexandra (Andie for short) Walker the daughter of a popular congressman. Her father is in the middle of a work crisis so he’ll be around a lot this summer. The book brings you to Stanwich, Connecticut at the beginning of the summer in 2016. Andie has her summer all laid out she’s doing the Young Scholars Program at John Hopkins University so she won’t be with her father or with her friends. She has a ride she’s all packed everything’s perfect. But the morning before she was scheduled to leave she got a phone call that would change her summer. Her letter of recommendation was withdrawn. By the antagonist Dr.Rizzoli. So that means she is stuck in Connecticut for the summer. She had to find a job quickly before nobody else was hiring. She also had met her boyfriend Clark who is a writer and currently has writers block and needs to write a book soon. She will try and help Clark with his writer's block and hopefully he’ll have another book by the end of the summer. Will Andie find her perfect summer and help clark with his book? Or will nothing go her way? If you like realistic fiction books and is in middle school I would recommend this book to you.